Dream Dodgers starting lineup for the 2024 season

Without question, this offseason has a lot on the line for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Not only are they coming off another disappointing playoff exit, but their rotation is also looking very iffy going into 2024, especially if Clayton Kershaw can't come back from injury, and they could hand out the biggest contract in baseball history if they land Shohei Ohtani.

That is a lot of known unknowns for a team that has grown accustomed to being the class of the National League. There is a world, though, where everything breaks their way and they look like a juggernaut once again. What could the Dodgers' lineup look like if they did not care at all about their payroll and pushed their chips in for 2024?

Here's the dream 2024 Dodgers lineup

The idea here is simple: build the ideal Dodgers lineup using existing Dodgers players as well as available free agents. Trades are bit too hard to account for here and the logical step if they are included would be to build an All-Star team out of players that are very, very much not available in trade. That said, using just this free agent class could result in a lineup that would strike fear in just about any team. Let's take a look.

Batting first, Mookie Betts - RF

When you have a top two MVP candidate already batting leadoff, it is best not to mess with a good thing. Mookie Betts' 2023 season was truly special. Not only did he have to play half the season in the infield because the Dodgers desperately needed him to, but he did it well while also posting a 167 wRC+ and .987 OPS at the plate. If not for an historic season from the Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr., Mookie would have been the runaway MVP this year (and he still has a slim shot despite everything that transpired).

As for lineup construction, Mookie is a great option regardless of whether one prefers to just bat your best hitter first or to stick with traditional lineup roles. Mookie can run, he gets on base at a high clip, and he can impact games in a variety of different ways. He gets a break from his infield duties here, plays right every day, and probably will be a top 5-10 player in MLB again next season at minimum.

Batting second, Freddie Freeman - 1B

Freddie Freeman got a bit of a raw deal in 2023. Most of the time over the last decade, putting up a .331/.410/.567 line with 29 homers, 23 steals (still not sure how that happened), and a league-leading doubles total would make a guy an MVP favorite. Acuña Jr. and Betts were just THAT good in 2023, but that doesn't take away from what Freddie accomplished, and the Dodgers certainly have to be feeling good for getting Freddie away from the Braves right now.

Freddie's left-handed bat was a staple in the #2 spot for LA all season long and, again, there is no reason to mess with what works here. Some consideration to alternating handedness in the lineup is going to be given for this list, but keeping Freeman where he excelled all season long works out great for that as well.

Batting third, Will Smith - C

Placing guys in ideal lineup spots gets harder from here on in, but Will Smith was really good in the No. 3 spot and gives the Dodgers a righty bat after Freeman. Weirdly enough, Smith's best career numbers on a rate basis came when he was batting sixth and especially eighth. However, those were pretty small samples, and he has been great as the three hole hitter overall.

It was nice to see Smith get some love and be named to his first All-Star Game in 2023. Overall, he slashed .261/.359/.438 with 19 homers and accumulated 4.1 rWAR this past season. In a vacuum, that is strong production. At catcher, it is almost a miracle to see that at the plate. Smith may not have the same upside as others in the lineup, but having him at No. 3 lengthens LA's lineup considerably while sacrificing little in the way of production.

Batting sixth, Max Muncy - 3B

The Dodgers are going to be paying Max Muncy $7 million next season before having to realistically start thinking about any decisions about his future in LA down the line. However, assuming he can remember how to post a batting average a bit further north of .200 next season, even his $10 million club option for 2026 could look like a steal, and his power from the left side will be perfect behind Soler here.

With only Matt Chapman being remotely interesting from the free agent market, and the fact that Chapman cratered in the second half at the plate in 2023, we'll stick with Muncy for now. He still walks a ton, and having a guy who is basically a lock to hit 35+ homers in the sixth spot in the lineup has a ton of value. This decision could go south, especially if Max's hit tool issues get worse, but there is too much upside here to pass up.

Batting seventh, James Outman - CF

Some consideration here needs to be given to the future, and it sure seems like James Outman is going to be a big part of the next several years for the Dodgers. Having back to back lefties in the lineup isn't "ideal" per se, but the free agent market for right-handed centerfielders is pretty abysmal, and Outman showed a lot of promise in 2023 after dominating in the minor leagues during the 2022 season.

The youngster did tail off a bit for LA as the 2023 season went on after a hot start, but no one should be upset about a rookie season where he hit 23 homers and posted a .790 OPS. The crazy thing is that he hasn't come close to reaching his potential at the plate yet, and his nine Outs Above Average in the outfield give the Dodgers two plus or better defenders out there when you include Mookie in right everyday.

Batting eighth, Gavin Lux - SS

There is a certain amount of hopeful optimism with slotting Gavin Lux at shortstop here. The Dodgers were planning on putting him there before he went down with torn ligaments in his knee prior to the season, but we still don't know if the position will be a fit for him long-term. However, there are no free agent shortstops worth having for this exercise, and Lux could turn into a star if the stars align.

It wasn't that long ago that Lux was one of the top prospects in all of baseball. His first few appearances in the big leagues were decidedly mediocre, but it really looked like he was starting to find himself in 2022 when he hit .276 and saw improvement across the board. There is a chance this move doesn't work out, but Lux is a worthy gamble at the eight spot.

Batting ninth, Michael Busch - 2B

Finally, we come to the bottom of the lineup with only second base left on the board. Whit Merrifield is a potential option, but he is 34 and very clearly declining. Tim Anderson probably needs to move to second base and isn't that far removed from a batting title, but he was one of the worst players in baseball last year and seems more likely to piss off half of the Dodgers' clubhouse almost immediately than to turn back into that guy again.

Instead, we again turn to an internal option in Michael Busch. Busch did make a cameo appearance in the big leagues with LA in 2023 that did not go well, but this guy can flat out hit. He has three straight seasons where he has hit 20 or more homers in the minor leagues -- including this season, where he posted a 1.049 OPS in Triple-A. Having Busch directly ahead of Betts most innings should lead to plenty of run scoring opportunities, even if his defensive shortcomings limit his upside a bit.

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